RIO MAIOR SPORTS CENTRE | ACTIVITY JANUARY 26

RIO MAIOR SPORTS CENTRE | January 2026 Activity

The year 2026 began with the Rio Maior Sports Centre (RMSC) hosting important training camps for international competitions, reinforcing its position as a reference center for hosting national teams and high-performance events.

1. Training Camps

In January, the Rio Maior Sports Centre hosted 7 sports, involving 535 athletes from 10 countries, in a particularly intense month for competitive preparation.

Highlights of the month:

• From January 2 to 7, the Men's National A Handball Team held a training camp in Rio Maior in preparation for the European Championship, where they achieved 5th place, the best result ever for the Portuguese team in the competition.

• The Men's National Handball Team of Bahrain trained in Rio Maior from January 3 to 7. After this preparation period, the team participated in the Asian Championship, winning 1st place.

• From January 8 to 11, an event of the European Youth Basketball League took place in Rio Maior, with the participation of 6 teams, all accommodated at the Training Centre.

• From January 16 to 18, the Rio Maior High-Performance Centre hosted another training camp for the Portuguese Swimming Federation, this time for the National Open Water Swimming Team, involving 23 athletes.

• From January 20 to 24, the Women's National Water Polo Team held a training camp as part of their preparation for the European Championship.

• From January 25 to 28, the RMSC hosted two futsal training camps for the Under-17 National Teams of Portugal and France.

• On January 24 and 25, the High-Performance Centre received another training camp from the Portuguese Swimming Federation, this time for the National Children's Team, with the participation of 24 athletes.

2. Events

January was also marked by the realization of another large-scale international event.

• From January 8 to 11, the Multi-Sport Pavilion in Rio Maior hosted an event of the European Youth Basketball League (EYBL), considered the largest European basketball competition in youth categories. This was the third time that Rio Maior hosted this event, organized by Rio Maior Basket and the MVP Academy, with the support of the Municipality of Rio Maior and Desmor. The event was contested in the Under-20 Men's category, involving six teams.

• The Under-17 Futsal National Teams of Portugal and France played two training matches at the Multi-Sport Pavilion as part of the training camps held in Rio Maior, reinforcing the international dimension of the complex's activities.

3. Kick-off Meeting | 2026 ASPC European Forum on Elite Sport

On January 6, the kick-off meeting for the organization of the 2026 ASPC European Forum on Elite Sport was held in Rio Maior, marking the formal start of the preparation for the Continental Congress EUROPA of the Association of Sport Performance Centres (ASPC), which will be held for the first time in Portugal.

The meeting was attended by Pedro Dias, Secretary of State for Sports, accompanied by Duarte Lopes, Chief of Cabinet, as well as Ricardo Gonçalves, President of the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth (IPDJ), and Carla Silva, Member of the IPDJ.

Also present were Susana Feitor, President of the Board of Directors of the Sports Foundation, João Lopes Candoso, Vice-President of the Municipality of Rio Maior, Miguel Pacheco, President of the Board of Directors of Desmor, and Hugo Dinis, Marketing Director of Desmor.

This meeting allowed for alignment on the strategic vision, goals, and next steps for organizing a congress that, in 2026, will bring together leaders and representatives from the main High-Performance Centres in Europe in Rio Maior, reinforcing Portugal and Rio Maior's positioning in the European high-performance sports landscape.

4. Wheelchair Handball National Team – European Champions honored in Rio Maior

On January 7, the Men's National Handball Team concluded an important training camp at the Rio Maior Sports Centre as they prepared for the European Championship, which took place from January 15 to February 1, organized jointly by Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

On January 2, the Wheelchair Handball National Team – European Champions visited Rio Maior, providing the Men's National A Team with a joint training experience. In a moment of sharing and camaraderie, the athletes were able to experience the demands of the wheelchair version of the sport.

Subsequently, at the Training Centre, Desmor honored the European Wheelchair Handball Champions by presenting a commemorative plaque related to the European achievement and the training camp held in Rio Maior. The distinction was presented by Miguel Pacheco, President of the Board of Directors of Desmor.

Also present at this institutional moment were João Lopes Candoso, Vice-President of the Municipality of Rio Maior, Miguel Laranjeiro, President of the Portuguese Handball Federation, Susana Feitor, President of the Sports Foundation, Daniel Monteiro, President of the Sports Confederation, José Lourenço, President of the Paralympic Committee of Portugal, and Carla Silva, Member of the IPDJ.